Damping adjustment: how to set it for the way you drive
The damping adjuster lets you make the ride softer or firmer yourself. This guide explains what damping does and how to adjust it without getting lost.
What damping does
The springs carry the car’s weight. The shocks control how fast the springs compress and extend.
- More damping — the shock moves more slowly, the body stays more settled, but more road texture comes through
- Less damping — small bumps are absorbed better, but the body rolls and bounces more
Adjusting damping doesn’t change ride height or spring rates.
Compression and rebound
- Compression — when the shock is pushed in, for example when a wheel hits a bump or a road joint
- Rebound — when the shock extends again afterwards. Too little rebound damping and the car keeps bouncing.
On DGR Suspension kits (per the manufacturer)
- ST and RC — 30 damping settings
- DCS-2 — 30 Rebound settings on the adjuster at the top of the shock, plus 15 Compression settings on the adjuster on the external reservoir
Before you start
- Park on level ground, switch off the engine, and only adjust with the car stationary
- Find the adjuster on each shock
- Find a reference point — gently turn the adjuster all the way in one direction, then count settings from there. Use the same reference on every shock, and never force the adjuster past its end stop.
- Write down the setting on every shock, so you can always go back
Starting point
- Each vehicle page will show a recommended starting setting once the manufacturer supplies it
- Until then, ask your installer to set a starting point, or ask us on DGR Thailand’s LINE Official account
- Start with left and right at the same setting, then adjust to feel
Adjust step by step
- Change 2–3 settings at a time — bigger jumps make it hard to tell which setting suits your car
- Keep left and right equal — both fronts the same, both rears the same
- Change one end at a time — front or rear, not both
- Drive the same route at similar speeds — so you can compare clearly
- Write down every change — the setting, the road and how it felt
Symptoms and first fixes
| Symptom | Try |
|---|---|
| Harsh over road joints | Reduce damping 2–3 settings at a time |
| The car keeps bouncing after a bump, or feels floaty | Increase damping 2–3 settings at a time |
| Too much body roll in corners or lane changes | Increase damping slightly |
| The rear bounces but the front feels fine | Adjust the rear only |
| Still harsh at the softest setting | Probably not a damping issue: check spring rates, ride height and tyre pressures, then talk to our team |
For DCS-2: 2-way adjustment
- Start both adjusters at the recommended point, then change one adjuster at a time
- Rebound adjuster (top of the shock) — use it for bouncing or floating after bumps
- Compression adjuster (on the reservoir) — use it for harshness over bumps and road joints
- Write down both settings on every shock
Cautions
- Only adjust with the car stationary
- Don’t force the adjuster with tools
- Changing damping doesn’t need a new wheel alignment, but changing ride height always does